News & Events in Belarus

MINSK, 1 September (BelTA) – Minsk and the Executive Committee of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) have signed a contract on holding the Second European Games in 2019. The signing ceremony took place at the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Belarus on 1 September, BelTA has learned.

The document, which includes the main principles and aspects for organizing and hosting a large-scale sport forum, was signed by Minsk Mayor Andrei Shorets and EOC acting President Janez Kocijancic, and also by Belarus’ Sports and Tourism Minister Alexander Shamko, NOC First Vice President Andrei Astashevich, head of the Directorate of the Second European Games Georgy Katulin, EOC Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi. The contract comprises information on ticket sales, accommodation, accreditation, opening and closing ceremonies of the Second European Games.

The competition program will include badminton, 3x3 basketball, boxing, freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women’s wrestling, track and road cycling, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, acrobatics, aerobics, trampoline tumbling, canoeing and kayaking, judo, karate, athletics, sambo, archery, shooting sports, table tennis, and beach soccer. 189 medals events will be held in 23 sport disciplines.

Several sport disciplines will be held as qualifiers for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. These are badminton, boxing, cycling, canoeing and kayaking, judo, karate, athletics, archery, shooting, and table tennis.

The competitions of the Second European Games will be held at Minsk Arena (acrobatics, aerobics, track cycling, artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline), Dinamo Stadium (athletics, the opening and closing ceremonies), Chizhovka Arena (judo, karate), the Palace of Sports (sambo, freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women’s wrestling), the rowing canal in Zaslavl (kayak and canoe competitions), the Palace of Tennis (table tennis), Uruchye sports center (boxing), Falcon Club (badminton), Marshal Timoshenko sports center (shooting), Olympiysky Stadium (beach soccer, archery), Sporting Club (clay target shooting), Palova Arena (3x3 basketball).

Belarus was chosen to host the Second European Games in 2019 after a vote at the 45th General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees in Minsk in October 2016. The Belarusian capital is expected to host more than 4,000 athletes for the Second European Games.

The First European Games were held in Baku, Azerbaijan on 12-28 June 2015. Belarus placed 7th with a total of 43 (ten gold, 11 silver and 22 bronze) medals.